An incubation program called “Women Innovators in WASH” aims to assist female entrepreneurs in Africa and Latin America who have an original business idea in the fields of water, sanitation, and hygiene.
The overall objective of the Women Innovators in WASH Incubation Program is to sustainably increase communities’ access to safe and reasonably priced Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) goods and services in Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Tanzania, South Africa, as well as Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia.
By the end of the program, they will have helped 50 women-led startups with high growth potential in the target countries, enabling them to expand their impact and serve more underserved communities.
WORTH
As a selected entrepreneur, you will benefit from a 4-month incubation and business mentoring program to further develop the viability of your venture, take part in sessions led by experts in the WASH sector, and pitch your business in front of a high-level jury for a chance to win a seed grant for your business.
Throughout the program, you will create your own executive summary business plan to present to potential investors or new co-founders while receiving the necessary support from a personalized mentor, and having the certainty that you are building a business validated by your potential clients.
- You will follow our step-by-step methodology, working directly on your business and making the most important decisions. You will also be able to visualize your financial projections, growth, and impact plan for the next years.
- You’ll be partnered with a professional to personally guide you in weekly mentoring sessions so that your project grows in the right direction.
- Pitch your business in front of a top-level jury and win a seed capital prize, granted to the finalists of our final Demo Day event ($15K in total divided for the top 4 entrepreneurs: $5K each for the first two and $2.5K each for the other two).
- Their platform offers a learn-by-doing approach inspired by MIT’s Disciplined Entrepreneurship and you’ll get to generate a business plan in PDF.
- Collaborate from anywhere at any time through our online platform; no barriers, limits, or excuses; just an internet connection.
- Become a part of a supportive community of founders from 89 countries that share resources and harness challenges together. So far, 3000+ entrepreneurs from 126 countries have gone through their programs!
ELIGIBILITY
SAFE WATER
Type of innovations may include but are not limited to:
- Household/ community water treatment and safe water storage
- Innovative water treatment and water filtration in homes and emergency contexts
- Products for testing water quality
- Provision of safe water
SANITATION
Type of innovations may include but are not limited to:
- Lightning and amenities for safer latrines
- Fecal sludge treatment
- Innovative fecal sludge disposal
HYGIENE
Type of innovations may include but are not limited to:
- Innovative handwashing solutions for difficult contexts
- Affordable soap and soap alternatives
- Affordable or sustainable menstrual hygiene solutions
- You are or identify as a woman and your business is women-led (or at least 50% of the founding team is female).
- You are based in and your venture impacts Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Tanzania, South Africa) or Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia).
- You have an early-stage innovation-based business (you have a business concept developed or an MVP recently launched) and your business is either a for-profit or a social enterprise.
- You can dedicate at least 6-8 hours per week during the duration of the program (4 months) to work on the platform and have online meetings with your mentor.
- You have access to a computer or tablet and a reliable and stable internet connection, as all the program will be online.
- You speak fluent English (keep in mind the whole program and all activities related will be in this language).
DEADLINE: October 21, 2022
To apply and for more information visit here
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